Part 2 of a Three-Part Better Life for Animals Emergency Preparedness Series
By Cheryl Moss, Founder Better Life for Animals
Editor’s Note
As communities across the country face increasing threats from wildfires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters, preparation can mean the difference between safety and tragedy for the animals who depend on us. In this three-part series, Better Life for Animals shares insights from Tiffany Deaton, Director of National Operations for national nonprofit Best Friends Animal Society, along with practical lessons for animal guardians, shelters, sanctuaries, and communities seeking to better protect animals before disaster strikes.
Please note: All photos courtesy of Best Friends Animal Society.
The Fifteen-Minute Test
Imagine this scenario.
A wildfire has changed direction unexpectedly. Local authorities have issued an evacuation order. Smoke is moving toward your neighborhood. You have fifteen minutes to
leave.
What would you grab?
Most people immediately think about family members, important documents, medications, and a few treasured possessions. Then comes the realization many animal guardians dread.
What about the animals?
Where are the carriers?
Do you have enough medication?
Can you find vaccination records?
Do you have food packed?
What about the horse trailer? The special diet? The senior dog who requires daily medication?
These are not questions anyone wants to answer while standing in the middle of an emergency.
Yet that is precisely what happens every day when disasters strike communities that believed they had more time.
According to Tiffany Deaton, Director of National Operations for Best Friends Animal Society, one of the most effective ways to reduce stress during an emergency is to create a dedicated preparedness kit long before it is ever needed.
The goal is not perfection.
The goal is readiness.
Why Emergency Kits Matter
When people think about emergency preparedness, they often imagine dramatic rescues and evacuation convoys.
The reality is usually far less dramatic.
Most emergencies are filled with uncertainty, long waits, changing plans, and temporary disruptions.
An emergency kit provides stability during that uncertainty.
It ensures that animals have access to familiar food, necessary medications, medical records, and basic comforts even when their normal routines have been interrupted.
More importantly, it allows guardians to focus on keeping everyone safe rather than scrambling to gather supplies under pressure.
A well-prepared emergency kit transforms panic into a plan.
Start With Documentation
One of the most overlooked components of preparedness is paperwork. This includes paperwork for your pet’s microchip.
Most people assume records will always be available online. Unfortunately, disasters can interrupt internet service, cell service, and power.
Physical copies remain essential.
Every emergency kit should include:
- Vaccination records
- Medical histories
- Microchip registration information
- Veterinarian contact information
- Emergency veterinary clinic information
- Recent photographs of each animal
- Proof of ownership when available
Photographs deserve special attention.
If an animal becomes separated from its family, clear photos can be invaluable during reunification efforts. Include images that show unique markings, scars, or identifying features.
Be sure your pets have their tags up to date and are wearing them.
For horses and livestock, photographs should include multiple angles whenever possible.
Medications Are Not Optional
Many animal guardians live with the assumption that medications can simply be refilled if necessary.
Unfortunately, emergencies often disrupt access to veterinary clinics, pharmacies, and transportation.
That is why Tiffany recommends maintaining an emergency reserve whenever possible.
For animals requiring daily medications, the kit should include:
- At least one week’s supply of medication
- Printed dosage instructions
- Prescription information
- Administration supplies
- Contact information for the prescribing veterinarian
For animals with chronic illnesses, preparation can be particularly important.
Missing several days of medication may create serious health complications at exactly the moment when veterinary care is hardest to access.
Food, Water, and Familiarity
Food seems obvious until an emergency reveals how quickly normal routines disappear.
Road closures, supply shortages, and temporary housing situations can make obtaining specific foods difficult.
A quality emergency kit should contain several days of food and water for every animal in the household.
But preparedness goes beyond nutrition.
Animals thrive on familiarity.
During a disaster, everything around them may feel unfamiliar and frightening.
A favorite blanket, toy, or bedding item can provide comfort and reassurance during a stressful time. One of your pieces of clothing with their bedding can bring untold comfort and familiarity.
The value of familiar objects should never be underestimated.
Sometimes a simple blanket that smells like home can help an anxious animal settle into a temporary environment.
Special Considerations for Senior Animals
Senior animals often require additional planning.
Older dogs and cats may struggle with mobility, arthritis, vision changes, hearing loss, or medical conditions that require daily monitoring.
Emergency kits for senior animals should include:
- Additional medications
- Mobility aids
- Comfortable bedding
- Extra food reserves
- Veterinary records documenting existing conditions
Because older animals may experience stress more intensely, maintaining familiar routines whenever possible becomes even more important.
Animals With Special Medical Needs
Some animals require ongoing medical care that extends beyond medication.
Insulin-dependent animals, animals recovering from surgery, and animals with disabilities often need specialized equipment and detailed care instructions.
One recommendation frequently overlooked is creating a simple written care guide.
If another person suddenly needed to care for your animal, could they do so confidently?
Written instructions remove uncertainty and can prove invaluable during emergencies.
Horses, Livestock, and Sanctuary Residents
Large animals present unique challenges that companion animal guardians may never encounter.
A dog can often be transported in a vehicle within minutes.
Moving horses, goats, cattle, pigs, or sanctuary residents is a very different undertaking.
Preparedness for larger animals involves transportation planning, trailer maintenance, alternate housing locations, feed reserves, and evacuation agreements.
One of the most important lessons from emergency responders is this:
The first time a horse enters a trailer should never be during an evacuation.
Practicing transportation procedures before they are needed dramatically improves safety for both animals and people.
Building Your Kit One Step at a Time
One reason many people postpone preparedness is because the task feels overwhelming.
They imagine needing to assemble everything immediately.
They don’t.
Preparedness can be built gradually.
- Start with records.
- Add medications.
- Gather food and water.
- Create transportation plans.
- Identify emergency contacts.
Small steps accumulate.
The important thing is to begin.
Better Life for Animals’ Commitment
At Better Life for Animals, we believe preparedness is one of the most meaningful expressions of compassion animal guardians can demonstrate.
Emergency kits are not about expecting the worst.
They are about honoring the trust animals place in us every day.
When disasters occur, animals cannot gather supplies, pack medications, or make evacuation plans.
They rely on us completely.
The effort we invest today may never be needed.
But if the day comes when it is, both you and your animals will be grateful you took the time to prepare.
Part I CLICK HERE
Coming Next: Part 3 — Beyond Your Backyard: Building a Community That Protects Animals
About Tiffany Deaton
Tiffany Deaton is the Director of National Operations at Best Friends Animal Society, a national nonprofit working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters and take the country no-kill, which means saving every healthy and treatable pet. Tiffany leads initiatives that enhance operational alignment and collaboration across the organization. She also oversees the organization’s Emergency Services department, working with shelters, agencies, and communities nationwide to strengthen preparedness, build resilience, and support pets and their families during disasters and other emergencies.
bestfriends.org
About Cheryl Moss
Cheryl Moss is the founder of Better Life for Animals and host of the Better Life for Animals podcast. A passionate vegan advocate, children’s author, and Main Street Vegan Academy graduate, she is dedicated to ending factory farming, supporting animal sanctuaries, and inspiring compassion through her work, writing, and advocacy.
